School News

On May 27th to 28th, the “2023 Contemporary Foreign Literature Academic Forum”, jointly organized by the Editorial Department of Contemporary Foreign Literature, the School of Foreign Languages of Northwest University, and the Social Sciences Department of Northwest University, was held at Northwest University.

On the morning of May 27th, the “2023 Contemporary Foreign Literature Academic Forum” grandly opened at the Starry Sky Lecture Hall of the Student Activity Center of Northwest University. Comrade Lv Jianrong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of our university, and Professor Yang Jincai, the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Foreign Literature, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches respectively. More than 200 experts, scholars, and doctoral and graduate students from over 60 universities across the country, including Nanjing University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Xi’an International Studies University, attended the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Cao Ruonan, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages.

The scene of the opening ceremony

Deputy Secretary Lv Jianrong congratulated the forum on its successful opening and expressed gratitude to the attending guests for their support. He briefly reviewed the development of foreign language disciplines and pointed out the significance of this symposium in fostering a favorable academic atmosphere on campus, stimulating enthusiasm for social science research, improving the quality of talent cultivation, and promoting the development of our university’s discipline of foreign language and literature. He hoped that experts and scholars could freely express their opinions, contribute their wisdom, inspire research ideas, enhance mutual understanding, generate new theoretical achievements through forum exchanges, and jointly advance foreign literature research to new heights.

Comrade Lv Jianrong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Northwest University, delivered the welcome address.

Professor Yang Jincai, the chief editor of Contemporary Foreign Literature, pointed out that the theoretical interpretation of foreign literature by Chinese scholars and the research on foreign literature have promoted the dissemination of literary classics worldwide. However, there are problems in foreign literature research, such as mechanical application of theories, insufficient reflection, and habitual appropriation, leading to absence of historical considerations and misunderstanding of historical truth. Therefore, Chinese culture serves as the source of vitality for Chinese academic outreach. In the process of “going global” in foreign literature research, it is essential to root in the Chinese reality, respond to the contemporary concerns of China’s modernization process, and base on the context of Chinese-style modernization. Conducting research on foreign literature will further promote the construction of Chinese and foreign civilizations, provide more carriers, media, and impetus for elucidating and disseminating the discourse of Chinese-style modernization.

Professor Yang Jincai, the chief editor of Contemporary Foreign Literature, delivered the opening speech

Over the course of the two-day academic forum, more than 200 experts, scholars, and students from over 60 universities including Nanjing University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Hunan University, Shanxi University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an International Studies University, and Shaanxi Normal University, gathered to discuss “Theoretical Reflection and Construction of Contemporary Foreign Literature Research”. Through two main sessions and fourteen sub-forums, participants engaged in in-depth sharing of research findings and academic exchanges.

Professor Chen Shihua from Nanjing University of Technology: Translation and Research of Marxist Theory in Literature

Professor Huang Xiaoyan from Hunan University: Post-human Auditory Fables: “Sound Imperialism” in White Noise

Professor Liu Xiao from the National University of Defense Technology: Reshaping Narrative Prototypes in American Iraq War Novel Queen of the Desert from the Perspective of Emotional Vision

Professor Huang Furong from Harbin Institute of Technology: The Pains of Modernization: Individual Fate under the Ethical and Covenant Spirit of Educational Ethics in By the Sea

Professor Lu Xun from Soochow University: The Construction of Ecological Space in the Works of Giorgio Agamben

Professor Cao Ruonan from Northwest University: The Narrative of Identity Politics and Empathy in L’appel du couchant

Associate Professor Li Ying from Hebei Normal University: The Noise of Time and the Subjectivity of History

Professor Huo Shifu from Xi’an Jiaotong University: The Animalization of Humans and Bodily “Scars”

—A Discussion on Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids by Ōe Kenzaburō

Professor Ding Zhaoguo from Shandong University of Finance and Economics: The Construction of Classics and Literary Education in The-Norton-Anthology-of-English-Literature

Professor Shang Xiaojin from Shanghai University: The Salem Witch Trials between Art and Academia—A Case Study of The Heretic's Daughter

Professor Guo Ruiping from Hebei University of Science and Technology: Historical Writing in the Biography of Peter Ackroyd

The themes of the 14 sub-forums cover “Reflection on Contemporary Foreign Literature Theory and Its Trends”, “Interdisciplinary Studies of Contemporary Foreign Literature across Media and Genres”, “Reflection on Contemporary Foreign Literature through National Education”, “Chinese Perspectives on Contemporary Foreign Literature Research”, “Dynamic Prefaces in Contemporary Foreign Literature Research”, “North American Literature Research”, “British Literature Research”, “Japanese Literature Research”, “Literature Research in Asia, Africa and Latin America”, and “European Literature Research”.

On the evening of May 27th, a special session of the “2023 Forum on Contemporary Foreign Literature” called the “Editorial Forum” was held in the Second Classroom Lecture Hall of the School of Foreign Languages, chaired by Professor Cao Ruonan, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages.

Dean Cao Ruonan of the School of Foreign Languages presided over the “Editorial Forum”

“Editorial Forum” Scene (All 130 seats in the Second Lecture Hall were occupied)

Professor Yang Jincai, the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Foreign Literature, Professor Chen Yong, the editor-in-chief of the Journal of PLA Foreign Languages Institute, and Professor Wang Heping, the editor-in-chief of Foreign Language Teaching, provided detailed introductions on the positioning, column settings, and submission requirements of their respective journals during the "Editorial Forum”. They patiently and comprehensively addressed many questions raised by the attending faculty and students. The evening saw lively and enjoyable exchanges, with a relaxed atmosphere during the Q&A session. The editors’ responses were not only meticulous but also witty and humorous, leaving both faculty and students feeling greatly enlightened and inspired.

Professor Yang Jincai, the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Foreign Literature

Professor Chen Yong, the editor-in-chief of the Journal of PLA Foreign Languages Institute

Professor Wang Heping, the editor-in-chief of Foreign Language Teaching

One of the attendees, Editor Chen, provided detailed answers on-site

The attendees took a group photo with the three editors

On the afternoon of May 28th, the “2023 Contemporary Foreign Literature Academic Forum” successfully concluded at Guo Chaoren Lecture Hall of Northwest University. Professor Cao Ruonan, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, delivered the closing speech on behalf of the organizing committee. Dean Cao pointed out that in this era of information explosion, the study of contemporary foreign literature is facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges. We need to engage in theoretical reflection and construct research paths and review methods of  our Chinese academic community that possess our own discourse rights and adapt to the development of the new era. At the same time, we urgently need organized research activities led by chief experts and efficient overall planning, establish a multi-level, multi-disciplinary academic dialogue mode and research cooperation mechanism. Through the interchange of research platforms and mutual learning of academic achievements, we can fully share the research resources and high-quality talents of all parties, jointly tackle the challenges faced by the study of contemporary foreign literature, and promote its in-depth development.

Dean Cao Ruonan of the School of Foreign Languages delivered the closing speech

As a high-profile and high-level academic event in the field of foreign literature research, this forum is an important part of Northwestern University's active promotion of high-quality development in social sciences during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. At the same time, it is also a significant initiative for the School of Foreign Languages to innovate its development strategies, collaborate with research institutions, and promote the development of the university as a whole.

Group photo for attendees